Millions of pounds of agricultural products are harvested, packed, and shipped, yearly. Conventional packing devices are designed to move bulk products quickly and efficiently, many times at the cost of bruising and destroying significant quantities of the product. In addition to the products that are destroyed, those that are merely damaged (but not immediately destroyed) are vulnerable to insects, disease, and accelerated decay. These damaged products are mixed with previously undamaged products so that the damaged goods are difficult to remove and may spread rot and disease to otherwise healthy products that are stored in a common storage area.
Previous attempts to limit damage to agricultural products during the packing process have been expensive, complex, and in some cases counterproductive. One means of minimizing product damage is through the use of “water handling” devices. These devices use water to cushion and protect a product from the impacts associated with the harvesting and packing process as the product is moved from one container to the next.
However, these devices require a series of tanks, pumps, and filters that must be cleaned and maintained during the harvesting and packaging process. This equipment takes up additional space, is cumbersome for workers, and generally increases product handling costs and slows the overall packing process. Further, wet handling has the potential to facilitate the spread of post-harvest diseases.
The need exists for a product handling method that efficiently transfers bulk products from a conveyor-type feeder to a storage container without significantly damaging the products. The current invention comprises a compact, efficient, reliable means of transferring products from a conveyor-type feeder to a storage means while imparting little or no damage to the products.